Two men sentenced in Bluffton home invasion

David Bowles

Kenneth Bowen

BEAUFORT -- Two men have been convicted for their roles in a violent Bluffton home invasion in which they robbed four people of cash and prescription drugs.

Kenneth Bowen, 21, of Ridgeland, pleaded guilty to four counts of armed robbery, four counts of kidnapping, one count of assault and battery with intent to kill and one count of first-degree burglary. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison on Thursday.

His co-defendant, David Bowles, 22, of Bluffton, pleaded guilty to identical charges, plus one count of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Bowen and Bowles admitted their guilt in a January 2010 home invasion in which they kicked in a door and tied up four people inside a home on Sugaree Road in Bluffton. During the robbery, two of the victims were beat with various objects including a handgun until they handed over cash and prescription painkillers.

"The thoughtful planning and execution of this crime, coupled with the fact that one of the defendants already had a prior record, indicates that these criminals would have stopped at nothing to get whatever they wanted," said Assistant Solicitor Meredith Bannon. "I'm glad we were able to put them away before anybody else got hurt."

Bowles decided to plead guilty only after Bannon of the Beaufort County Career Criminal Prosecution Team spent months preparing the case and was ready to begin the trial, according to the Solicitor's Office. There was no plea agreement.

Having a team of experienced prosecutors focusing on the worst of the worst is another benefit of the Career Criminal Prosecution Team, according to Solicitor Duffie Stone.

"When Bowles realized he was not going to get a plea deal from us and that we were prepared to give him the trial he initially requested, he decided to throw himself on the mercy of the court," Stone said. "We are seeing more pleas like this coming from career criminals."

Bowen also pleaded guilty to an unrelated charge of criminal domestic violence. Bowles has a prior conviction for second-degree burglary.